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Facial Paralysis

How Chinese medicine differentiates facial paralysis into the four patterns you'll actually meet in practice, and the points for each. Distinct from this site's Bell's Palsy and Mouth Deviation pages. Acupuncture only — no herbs.

This page is educational, for practitioners and students — it is not a diagnostic tool and does not replace a proper in-person assessment. Sudden facial droop with arm weakness, speech change or severe headache is a possible stroke and needs emergency care. New facial paralysis should always be medically assessed first.
General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for facial paralysis — 3 key points, used across the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

PointKey action
L.I.-4Expels exterior Wind and releases the Exterior. Promotes the diffusing of Lung-Qi, regulates the Defensive Qi and sweating. Stops pain.
ST-36Benefits Stomach and Spleen. Tonifies Qi and Blood. Tonifies the Original Qi.
ST-4Expels Wind. Removes obstructions from the channel.
The Four Patterns

↑ reinforcing   ↓ reducing   ⊥ even method.

1. Wind-Cold

Clinical manifestations: Sudden eye and mouth deviation; facial tightness or pain; strong aversion to wind and cold; no sweating; clear watery nasal discharge; no thirst, prefers warm drinks.
Tongue: Pale, thin white moist coat. Pulse: Floating and tight.
Treatment principle: Warms and scatters Wind-Cold from the facial channels and promotes Qi and Blood circulation.
G.B.-20 ↓ L.I.-4 ↓ T.B.-17 ↓ ST-4 ↓
Note: moxa is appropriate. No deck slide covers external Wind-Cold in the face channels — no pattern link is given here.

2. Wind-Heat

Clinical manifestations: Facial burning or swelling; sore throat; thirst; fever with mild chills; red, dry eyes.
Tongue: Red tip and edges, thin yellow coat. Pulse: Floating and rapid.
Treatment principle: Clears Heat, cools Blood and dispels Wind-Heat; reduces inflammation.
L.I.-11 ↓ T.B.-5 ↓ LIV-3 ↓
Note: no moxa. No matching deck slide — no pattern link is given here.

3. Wind-Phlegm

Clinical manifestations: Facial numbness or stiffness; heavy sensation in the head and body; copious white frothy sputum; chest stuffiness or nausea; dizziness.
Tongue: Slightly pale, swollen, tooth-marked, white greasy coat. Pulse: Wiry and slippery.
Treatment principle: Transforms Phlegm, dispels Wind, dries Dampness and unblocks the channels.
ST-40 ↓ ST-36 ↑ ST-4 ↓ L.I.-4 ↓
Note: Mixed Deficiency/Excess. This site's decks have no Wind-Phlegm slide — no pattern link is given here.

4. Qi Deficiency Causing Blood Stagnation

Clinical manifestations: Facial muscle laxity or sagging; dusky complexion; persistent fatigue and weakness; numbness or tingling; fixed dull facial pain worse with pressure.
Tongue: Pale-dark or pale-purple, stasis spots, swollen, tooth-marked. Pulse: Deep, thready, weak and choppy.
Treatment principle: Tonifies Qi to restore Blood circulation; invigorates Blood and dispels stasis.
ST-36 ↑ SP-6 ↑ SP-10 ↓ L.I.-4 ⊥
Note: Mixed Deficiency/Excess. No single deck slide combines Qi deficiency with Blood stasis — no pattern link is given here.
Related conditions
Bell's Palsy Mouth Deviation Facial Tic

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Acupuncture-only reference — structure adapted (not text) from how other condition-lookup sites organize this kind of content. Let us know what to add or change.